Chapter 13: Daily Life

After that, I went to every place I thought Runa might be, but I couldn't find her anywhere.

And so, the one-hour time limit passed.

Buzz buzz buzz

My smartphone's vibration echoes in my pocket.

When I checked my smartphone, it was an incoming call from Runa.

I quickly answered the call.

『Hello? Gikei-chan, it's Runa!』

「Hello, it's me. I lost at hide-and-seek again.」

『Hehehe, I'm really good at hiding!』

「I wish I were better at finding peopleー Otherwise I'll keep losing.」

『Ehh, I want to keep winning so I'd like you to stay as you are.』

We laugh together like this.

I wish this kind of time could continue forever... I was so happy that I found myself wishing so unconsciously.

Unlike Yui, where I never know what she's thinking, Runa always likes me just as I am.

I truly felt glad to have met Runa again.

『Well, I got home, so I'll hang up soon.』

「Got it. See you tomorrow then.」

『See you tomorrow, Gikei-chan.』

With that, the call ended.

Honestly, I still wanted to keep talking.

It was over. I felt reluctant to let it go.

I'll sleep early tonight. Then tomorrow will come quickly.

I lay down in my room filled with favorite manga, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Yui suddenly crossed my mind.

Did I speak too harshly back then?

Her sadly distorted face keeps flashing back.

──Well, whatever. She's probably being comforted by her boyfriend anyway.

In my mind, I pictured Yui crying to her boyfriend.

I felt no jealousy or envy toward that, only resignation.

Now, I want to be with Runa.

I want to overwrite it.

I didn't want even the name Yui to remain in a corner of my mind.

Ahh, that's right.

Tomorrow morning, I'll invite Runa to walk to school together.

I open my smartphone and send Runa a message.

I was happy that a reply came back surprisingly quickly.

「Want to walk to school together starting tomorrow morning?」 Read 19:24

『Sounds good! I was feeling anxious going alone, so I'm happy.』 Read 19:25

「I'll come to your place around 7:30 then.」 Read 19:25

『Got it. Thank you, Gikei-chan!』 Read 19:25

『Ah, but what about Yui-chan?』 Read 19:29

「I think Yui will be fine. We haven't been getting along very well lately.」 Read 19:30

『I see. If there's anything I can help with, just tell me! Yui-chan and I are best friends!』 Read 19:33

「Thanks so much, Runa.」 Read 19:33

『Hehehe, this much is only natural!』 Read 19:34

From then on, those days became remarkably fulfilling, incomparably different from the days when I was chasing Yui.

Unlike the lonely first semester, I made many new friends regardless of gender, got confessed to by several girls, stopped by the convenience store where Runa worked at night, and many other things happened that the old me could never have imagined.

The fact that I was able to change myself eventually became confidence. I felt like I could do anything.

Thanks to that, my test results, which were always around the bottom, managed to break into the top 10 in this midterm exam.

Moreover, my daily life has Runa laughing beside me.

Even just that alone made me quite happy.

But there was one big concern.

Yes, Yui.

What kind of face should I make every time we meet at school from now on?

I don't want to talk since it's awkward.

I was seriously worried about such things, but it was needless worry.

Since I was already being avoided quite a bit to begin with, there was hardly any interaction anyway.

So I never imagined that this small happiness I was savoring and living with would collapse so easily.